Recent news accounts report that FCC "Indecency" and "language" regulations (that have twice been struck down by the Supreme Court) are under review and most likely will be "loosened".

Ham radio operators (many of whom are students of government regulations) largely embrace the current policies. Hams are not a representative demographic of Americans. Overwhelmingly middle aged white males, their values (right or wrong) as reflected in on air discourse, are no longer dominant in an increasingly multicultural society. (And they have little in common amidst a growing lower class of uneducated and poor citizens who have a bleak future in a globalized knowledge worker era.)

The FCC has little choice. They will at a minimum allow language and conduct over public air waves previously restricted by regulatory language that was nebulous. Indeed the Court chided the FCC for being "vague". New more specific regs are forthcoming. New regulations will have little to no impact on Amateur radio. Yes, there are a few "outposts" on the HF bands where on air exchange is "coarse". But Ham radio culture at large is and will remain inoffensive to most. And what few transgressions that do occur are highly unlikely to be enforced. It's only Ham Radio and the FCC's policy of "benign neglect" will continue.

So not to worry! Ham Radio on air communications will continue to be as bland as it has been for decades.

So not to worry! Ham Radio on air communications will continue to be as bland as it has been for decades.

If by bland, you mean civil and well-mannered, that is fine by me. When the language on the Ham bands starts to sound like what I hear today in some public places, I will sell my gear and take up knitting.

No Clint. Civil and well mannered work. What I mean is, the absence of any stimulating discourse to speak of on the bands. Tune the bands. ANY band. Find a conversation where Hams talk about film, literature, current technology (no I don't mean antennas or the Sherwood filter specs) or literate well informed discourse about foreign affairs or music or digital culture. I am confident that you will rarely if ever hear a conversation of substance on Amateur radio.

That is the "blandness" I refer to.

Ham Radio exchanges are overwhelmingly of the most meaningless blather and I would argue a reflection of the prosaic lives most hams lead. The 80 / 20 rule applies. (though in Ham radio it's probably higher. More like 90/10).

Clint, I just completed, Andrew Keen's very excellent, "Digital Vertigo: How Today's Online Social Revolution Is Dividing, Diminishing, and Disorienting Us ". Can you imagine a dynamic discussion of this enormous technology driven shift being talked about by Hams? It's laughable. They're happy with the weather and their G5RV's. (well at least 80% of them!)

the absence of any stimulating discourse to speak of on the bands. Tune the bands. ANY band. Find a conversation where Hams talk about film, literature, current technology (no I don't mean antennas or the Sherwood filter specs) or literate well informed discourse about foreign affairs or music

I don't know about everybody else, but I keep up discussions of literature and government, among other topics, on mailing lists devoted to those topics. And I discuss the nuts and bolts of ham radio HERE, specifically devoted to the topic. When I turn on the radio I want to hear somebody send "AC4RD 5NN TU" and I want to send "TU" back and go looking for another quick contact.

It's fine if YOU want to discuss how changes in social policy are reflected in the design of Wedgewood porcelain pieces, or climate-related changes in North African squirrel migration patterns, but don't expect EVERYBODY to want the same thing YOU want out of the hobby.

the absence of any stimulating discourse to speak of on the bands. Tune the bands. ANY band. Find a conversation where Hams talk about film, literature, current technology (no I don't mean antennas or the Sherwood filter specs) or literate well informed discourse about foreign affairs or music

I don't know about everybody else, but I keep up discussions of literature and government, among other topics, on mailing lists devoted to those topics. And I discuss the nuts and bolts of ham radio HERE, specifically devoted to the topic. When I turn on the radio I want to hear somebody send "AC4RD 5NN TU" and I want to send "TU" back and go looking for another quick contact.

It's fine if YOU want to discuss how changes in social policy are reflected in the design of Wedgewood porcelain pieces, or climate-related changes in North African squirrel migration patterns, but don't expect EVERYBODY to want the same thing YOU want out of the hobby.

--ken (again, unable to resist a good troll)

There's something new about North African Squirrels? Exciting~!

Logged

Putting a Shatnerologist in a room full of ordinary people is like putting a velociraptor in a room full of wiener dogs.

1) I was brought up never to discuss sex, religion or politics in polite company. Talking about sex over the air will probably get you into trouble real quick and the other two subjects tend to get folk's gander up in a heartbeat.

2) Most people on this site are free to discuss political issues over the air but some are not. Not all IARU countries are politically free.

It is also not acceptable,politically correct,nor decent to fart in church,yet this rule is broken and done in various frequencies every Sunday.As long as there are public church bean suppers on Saturday night this problem isn't going away anywhere fast.However you do have the option of leaving the Pew(sic) area.Same applies on the ham bands.

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